Dibben slips out of contention

HARD DONE BY: Wanganui's Richie Dibben (outside) laps a rival in the Supermoto class at Manfeild on Sunday - and then is disqualified.PHOTO/ANDY MCGECHAN BIKESPORTNZ.COM DIBBEN-0069

CONTROVERSY surrounding the Supermoto class with one round to go in the Suzuki Series may have cost Wanganui rider Richie Dibben his third straight title.

Dibben (Tyresheild 450) was a clear leader going into the second round at Manfeild on Sunday after round one at Hampton Downs two weeks ago. Dibben had won one race at Hampton then was stuck in fourth gear all of race two to finish second.

He looked odds-on to take both races at Manfeild on Sunday after winning the first by 11 seconds. However, a momentary lapse in concentration left Dibben on the deck when leading by a distance. He remounted and clawed his way back to third at the line, but under the rules of Supermoto, remounting is not allowed and he was disqualified.

Duncan Hart (Yamaha YZ450F) from Tauranga and fellow Wanganui rider Aden Brown (Harvey Round Motors RMZ450) have been the only rivals in the class to get near Dibben since the series began at Hampton Downs, although Ben Dowman (Dowman Bobcats 450) from Wanganui has also been up near the pace.

The disqualification has gifted Hart the lead in the series, 15 points ahead of Dibben now in third spot behind Brown. Dowman sits in fourth place going into the final round on Wanganui's Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day.

While Dibben said he was "gutted" by his disqualification he accepted the rules.

What he found difficult was the controversy surrounding a fall and remount by Hart during round one at Hampton Downs.

Hart allegedly fell and remounted to finish third in one race at Hampton Downs, but the incident was not picked up by officials or reported within the 20 minute timeframe to protest after the race.

"You can't see all of the track at Hampton Downs, but there's nowhere to hide at Manfeild," Dibben said.

The Cemetery Circuit around the streets of Wanganui is Dibben's favourite track in the three-meeting series and all he can hope for is that his fellow Wanganui riders Brown and Dowman get between him and Hart on Boxing Day.

"Aden and Ben are racing well. I plan to be out in front at Wanganui and hopefully they can get between me and Duncan. I would have loved to have won the title for the third time - it was my goal," Dibben said.